Peculiar Secularism in India

leading to Communalism and

insecurity among Minorities
curbing the growth of nation

Presented by
Pity Parker.J & Rajya Lakshmi.M
Andhra Loyola College

04 January, 2019
 Contents
•Introduction
•Indian Secularism- A Conundrum
•The Emergence of Secularism in the West
and India
•India as a secular state
•Secularism as a political tool
•Communalism in India
•Insecurity among Minorities due to
peculiarities
•Role of Religious Minorities
 Introduction
•In the last few decades Secularism has been
increasingly fighting a losing battle against
Communalism.
•The democratic state derives its authority
from a secular source (the consent of the
governed) and is not subordinate to any
ecclesiastical power.
•Dilution of Secular values – ‘the US’ to ‘the
THEM’
 Definitions
•"the belief that religion should not play a role in
government, education, or other public parts of
society.“
-Merriam Webster Dictionary

•“ a state that guarantees individual and corporate

freedom of religion and deals with the individual
as a citizen irrespective of his religion is not
constitutionally connected to a particular religion
nor seeks either to promote or interfere with
religion”
- Donald Eugene Smith
 Definitions
•Separation of religious institutions from state institutions
and a public sphere where religion may participate, but
not dominate.
•Freedom to practice one's faith or belief without harming
others, or to change it or
not have one, according
to one's own conscience.
 Indian Secularism
•The concept of Secularism which was originated in the
West takes its own colour in India.

•“Keeping the state, politics and education separate from

religion, making religion a private matter for the
individual and of showing equal respect for all faiths and
providing equal opportunities for their followers.”
-Jawaharlal Nehru
•Hindu Renderings
•Sarva Dharma Sama Bhavana - misinterpreted as equal
treatment of all religions by the state.
•Dharma nirapekshata – Religious Neutrality
 Indian Secularism
•The concept of Secularism which was originated in the
West takes its own colour in India.
•“Keeping the state, politics and education separate from
religion, making religion a private matter for the
individual and of showing equal respect for all faiths and
providing equal opportunities for their followers.”
-Jawaharlal Nehru
•Hindu Renderings
•Sarva Dharma Sama Bhavana – Religious Equality!
•Dharma nirapekshata – Religious Neutrality
•‘Dharma nirapekshata’ literally religious neutrality or
religious non-alignment is inaccurate. Indian Secularism,
she affirmed is equal alignment with each religions.
- Mrs.Gandhi
 Supreme Court hearing the case on 28
October,2016
•Using religion during elections to seek votes

•Can secularism remain aloof from religion?

•“ it will be difficult to accept as a proposition that a
political party should have nothing to do with religion and
those who have something to do with it must cease to be
political parties”
•“Secularism does not mean aloofness to religion but giving
equal treatment to every religion. Religion and caste are
vital aspects of our public life. Can it be possible to
completely separate religion and caste from politics?”
- The bench
 Confusion!

“Western dictionaries define Secularism as absence of religion but

Indian Secularism does not mean irreligiousness. It means profusion
of religions.”
-Shashi Tharoor
 Confusion to Communalism!
•Confusion Leding to Sectarian views

•“Indian secularism is fraud and they will have none of it.

It alleges that Secularism is a cloak with which Indian
state hides its true nature which is that of Hindu state.”

-Muslim league & Aklidal

•Secularism is a subterfuge by which the state seeks to

appease minorities, chiefly the Muslims and thereby deny
Hindu majority its rightful due.

- Hindu Parties
 The Emergence of Secularism in
the West and India
•The Western Secularism
•Emerged during the Italian Renaissance
•increasing distrust in organized and state-supported religion during the
Reformation.
•Became responsible for the freeing of education, society, and state from the
domination of religion; in other words, the development of modern
secularism.
•The Indian Secularism
•Unofficial Secularism prevalent since times.
•Effects of Partition violence.
•A result of Communal conflicts.
•C.S Adcock Argues
•Queen Victoria’s proclamation of 1858 laid the foundation for Indian
secularism and established the semi-legal framework that would govern the
politics of religion.
•It promised civil equality for Indians regardless of their religious affiliation,
and state non-interference in Indians’ religious affairs.
 The Emergence of Secularism in
the West and India

Reformation Partition

Violent Violent
course of course of
revolt revolt

SECULARISM SECULARISM
 Intention of Secular incorporation
•H.V Kamanth request

•Actually wanted the preamble to start with the phrase,

‘In the name of God’
•The members believed that it is inappropriate to have
an invocation to God.
•Ultimately put to vote.
•The amendment lost with only forty-one in favour and
sixty-eight against.
 Is India Compatible with secular state?
NOTION HINDUISM BUDDHISM ISLAM
Theory of History Metaphysically at a lower Metaphysically, similar to Decisive history. Certain
level of reality Hinduism. History taken more pattern of Life must be
seriously established
+
+ -
Attitude towards Philosophically Extremely Tolerant in all terms Theologically intolerant
other religions tolerant
+ -
+
Capacity of No ecclesiastical organisation Well organised monastic order Ulama not effectively
Ecclesiastical organised
organisation + -
+
Political and Two functions by different Renunciation of world. Monks Tradition of prophet
religious castes cannot rule Mohammad and Caliphas
functions fusion of temporal and
spiritual authority
+ + -
Tendency to Caste system, Hindu law No attempt to regulate Islamic law – Detailed
regulate society regulation
- +
-
+ = Favourable to secular state; - = Unfavourable to Secular state
 Tolerance – A Prerequisite
•Hinduism and Tolerance
•“Hinduism gives absolute liberty in the world of thought; it enjoins strict code
of practice.” – Radha Krishna.
•The Bhakti movement and Hindu renaissance witnessed several reformist
groups hardening the attitude of tolerance.

•Islam and Tolerance

•Theologically an intolerant religion.
•Manner of tolerance differed from one country to another.
•Non- Muslims in India were required to pay Jiziya, Land tax, and pilgrimage
tax. Public worship of idols was forbidden.
•Mohammad Bin Qasim in which Irfan Habib in his book Politics and society
during the Muslim period hails him for the tolerance.
•Continued through the reigns of Jahangir and Shah Jahan and finally
nullified by Aurangzeb.
 Tolerance – A Prerequisite
•Buddhism and Tolerance
•Asoka’s Rock Edict XII says
•“The faiths of others deserve to be honoured for one reason or another. By
honouring them one exalts one’s faith and at the same time performs a service
of faith to others”

•Sikkism and Tolerance

•A verse from Adi granth says as follows
•“Know all human beings to be the repositories of Divine rights; Stop not to
inquire about their origin”
•Gurus have been protesting against the hierarchy inherent in the caste
system.
•Gurudwaras is open to all irrespective of Nationality, Religion, Caste or
Creed
•There is no discrimination between the Sikh and Non- Sikh in the
congregation.
 Secularism as a Political tool
•The book “Religion in multi-faith societies. The case of
India” presents an interview reported the opinion of
uneducated Hindus involved in low jobs about
communal tensions the answer was...

“This is a perennial problem, which will always remain within Indian society
in general. Hindu and Muslim communities will never be able to free
themselves from the feeling of communalism. They will go on fighting with
each other for all time to come. Politicians create the problems and they will
never let the issue die because the communal tensions serve their interests. In
India, in every communal riot, the people who have been involved have never
been punished. No politician gets punished for inciting communal riots in
India. The Babri Masjid dispute is going on for hundreds of years and there is
nosolution until now.”

•Political chicanery known to all

 Communalism in India

Is Secularism a threat to India?

Is Secularism in threat in India

 Communalism in India
•The Hindutva
•Veer Savarkar in a book writes
•“Hindus are the rightful citizens of India, thanks to their
sharing on the common Jati(birth group) or blood”

•“One becomes an Indian by honoring all that Hindu culture

stands for; One’s devotion to India as one’s holy land, above all
reveals ones attachment to Hindu culture.”

•The adding of political affiliation to communal forces led to

Godhra case and Babri Masjid demolition.
Communalism in India

Communal Violence in India*

(In response to LOK SABHA UNSTARRED
QUESTION NO. 590)
 Insecurity among minorities
•H.C Mookherjee
•“Are we really honest when we say that we are seeking to establish a secular
state? If your idea is to have a secular state it follows inevitably that we cannot
afford to recognise minorities based on religion.”

•Religious direction in the Constitution

•The prohibition of cow slaughter is also one of the Directive Principles of
State Policy contained in Article 48 of the Constitution.
•Modi gifting Bhagavadgita to foreign presidents on his visit as a
representative of India
"I brought Gita for gifting. I do not know what will happen in India after this. There may be a TV
debate on this. Our secular friends will create 'toofan'(storm) that what does Modi think of himself?
He has taken a Gita with him that means he has made this one also communal,"
- Indian Express, September 2, 2014
•Efforts to make Bhagavadgita as a National book.
•Attempts to ban beef.
 Insecurity among minorities
•Donald E Smith concludes the main shortcomings in the
Indian realization of Secular goals threefold
•The absence of the civil code.
•The government interference in religious matters for the purpose of social
reform.
•A cultural policy which amounts the propagation of Hindu religion.

•“We cannot fashion our policies or shape our conduct in

the way Pakistan does it. We must see that our secular
ideals are actually realized in practice...Here very Muslim
should feel that he is an Indian citizen and has equal rights
as an Indian citizen. If we cannot make him feel like this,
we shall not be worthy of our heritage and of our country.”
- Jawaharlal Nehru
 Role of Minorities
•Minorities have acted as catalytic agents in the process of
separating the jurisdictions of religion and state.
•Catholic minority in seventeenth-century England sought to secure religious
toleration.
•Baptist minority insisted that the real solution is the separation of state from
the church.

•The presences of sizeable minorities and same ethnic

stock of majority can realize the ideal of secularization
through great effort and effective utilization of minority
reservations.

•Interdependence has become the order of the day and

nobody can remain in isolation in this globalized world.
 Conclusion
•Interdependence has become the order of the day and
nobody can remain in isolation in this globalized world.

First they came for the socialists, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a socialist.
Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a trade unionist.
Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a Jew.
Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak for me.

-Martin Niemöller’s Plea for Action

 References

•Secularism and its critics, Rajeev Bharghabva, Oxford paperbacks, Edition

edition (17 December 1999).
•Secular values for Secular India, P.C Chatterjee, Manohar Publishers and
Distributors (1 July 1995)
•Hindutva Challenge, Christian response as a call to community, Prasad
Lankapalli.
•Secularism and Religion in Multi-faith Societies, the Case of India, Ragini Sen,
Wolfgang and Wagner Caroline Howarth, Springer publications.
•Limits of Tolerance, CS Adcock, Oxford University press.
•Beyond Secularism, Neera Chandoke, OUP India (1 October 1999).
•India after independence 1947 – 2000, Bipin Chandra, Mridula Mukherjee and
Aditya Mukherjee, Penguin (1 November 2000)
 References
Web resources

https://www.firstpost.com/politics/supreme-court-has-done-well-in-defining-
secularism-not-hinduism-3077828.html

http://164.100.47.190/loksabhaquestions/annex/14/AU590.pdf

http://www.sacw.net/article13795.html

https://sol.du.ac.in/mod/book/view.php?id=1136&chapterid=682

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Major_Rock_Edicts#Major_Rock_Edict_12

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Secularism

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_they_came_...